1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a quarter window opening/closing apparatus for opening and closing a quarter window of a vehicle by using a link mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some one-box cars and two-door sedans are provided with quarter window opening/closing apparatus of a tilting-type. This quarter window opening/closing apparatus of a tilting type comprises a first link having one end attached rotatably to the vehicle body and a second link which has one end connected rotatably to another end of the first link and has another end connected rotatably to the quarter window by means of a bracket. As the first link is rotated about its one end, the second link is rotated forcibly, so as to open or close the quarter window.
In this tilting-type quarter window opening/closing apparatus, since there are clearances between respective members in an assembled state, the apparatus needs to be arranged so as not to cause the quarter window to rattle due to wind pressure, vibration of the vehicle body or the like which occur during the running of the vehicle. The prevention of the rattling of the quarter window will be described below by citing a structure disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,865.
FIGS. 11 to 13 show a link mechanism 100 of a tilting-type quarter window opening/closing apparatus disclosed in that patent specification. FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a quarter window 102 in a fully closed state, while FIG. 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the quarter window 102 in a fully open state.
One end of a first link 104 is attached to a rotating shaft 106, and the first link 104 is adapted to rotate about the rotating shaft 106 by a driving force of an unillustrated motor. Connected to the other end of the first link 104 is one end of a second link 108 by means of a pin 110 in such a manner as to be capable of undergoing relative rotation. In addition, the other end of the second link 108 is rotatably connected to a bracket 112, which is fixed to the quarter window 102, by means of a ball joint 114. Accordingly, when the link 104 is rotated about the rotating shaft 106 by receiving the driving force of the motor, the quarter window 102 is set in a fully closed state, as shown in FIG. 11, from a fully open state, or in a fully open state, as shown in FIG. 12, from a fully closed state.
In addition, this tilting-type quarter window opening/closing apparatus is provided with a lock mechanism which will be described below, so as to prevent the quarter window 102 from opening (or closing) due to an unexpected external force when the quarter window 102 is in a fully closed state (or a fully open state).
Namely, in the fully closed state, the pin 110 is located on a lower side, as viewed in FIG. 11, of a straight line Y connecting the rotating shaft 106 and the ball joint 114, and a portion of a peripheral surface of a boss of the first link 104 abuts against a closed-state stopper portion 116 of the second link 108. Meanwhile, in the fully open state, the pin 110 is located on the lower side, as viewed in FIG. 12, of the straight line Y connecting the rotating shaft 106 and the ball joint 114, and a side surface of the first link 104 abuts against an open-state stopper portion 118 of the second link 108. Consequently, the quarter window 102 in the fully closed state is prevented from being opened by an unexpected external force, and the quarter window 102 in the fully open state is prevented from being closed by an unexpected external force. Also, this lock mechanism demonstrates the effect of preventing the rattling of the quarter window 102 in the fully closed or fully open state. In other words, the lock mechanism also serves as a rattling-preventing mechanism.
However, although, in the case of the structure disclosed in this publication, the effect of preventing the rattling of the quarter window 102 is obtained in the fully closed or fully open state by the lock mechanism, the action of the closed-state stopper portion 116 and the open-state stopper portion 118 is not demonstrated when the quarter window is set in a state other than the fully open or fully closed state (e.g., a semi-open state), as shown in FIG. 13. Thus, when the quarter window 102 is set in the semi-open state, the first link 104 and the second link 108 are rotatable about the rotating shaft 106 and the pin 110, respectively, as indicated by the arrows in the drawing, and rattling can occur in the quarter window 102, producing abnormal noise.